Making a family newsletter that people will want to read

Let’s dive into the art of making a family newsletter that people will want to read.

What’s a family newsletter?

A family newsletter is a short bulletin sent to a group of relatives. One person often heads the project. This person collects the family’s information, designs the newsletter, and sends it out.

You can include stories, updates, birthdays, and more in your newsletter. Most people send them once or twice a year, but you can dispatch yours as often as you want.

Why would I want to make a family newsletter?

You may have to invest a lot of time into making a family newsletter. So why make one in the first place?

Family newsletters:

• Create a hub for family information. Two-thirds of people on social media use it to stay up to date with family. But it can be hard to keep track of relatives among so many other photos and updates. Newsletters offer a central hub for all things family.
• Help relatives keep in touch. Newsletters can be a great way to remind relatives to reach out for birthdays or send graduation cards. Mentioning notable dates keeps your family network going strong.
• Connect lonely relatives. Some of your relatives probably can’t visit you or other family members readily. They may feel isolated—especially if they live alone. Newsletters can help them feel like they’re in the loop.
• Are fun to make. Collecting updates and stories from relatives can lead to fun chats. Then forming that information into a newsletter can be an absorbing, creative challenge.

How do I make a family newsletter?

It can take some time to make a family newsletter. You have to wait for relatives to send you their contributions. But it’s a simple, five-step process overall.

1. Select your audience

First, you need to decide which relatives to include. Creating a mailing list will help you know who to reach out to. It will also help you shape the newsletter’s tone. One side of your family may be a lot more serious or fun-loving than the other.

2. Decide which sections to include

Each newsletter will have standard parts, like updates, birthdays, and obituaries. Decide whether you’ll include other topics, like fun facts, feature stories, and games.

3. Collect information

Ask your relatives for their contributions. You may need to send a few reminders so they send you their information on time. You can easily keep track of it in a program like Excel.

4. Format the newsletter

Next, you’ll need to format your newsletter. Online tools will make this process a lot easier. Microsoft Word and PowerPoint both offer newsletter templates. Select a template, then fill in each section.

5. Choose how to send it

You can print and send your newsletter by snail mail, which can be a pleasant surprise for family members. Remember that snail mail will cost you. You can also send your newsletter through email, which may be more accessible for some. (And cheaper for you.)

How can I make a family newsletter that relatives read?

You want your family to read your newsletter if you go to the trouble of making one. There are a few ways to make it engaging enough to hold their interest.

You should:

• Ask for pictures. Everyone likes to share their photos. Ask relatives to send in cute pictures for the newsletter. Pictures will encourage them to look through your newsletter, if not read the whole thing.
• Add quirky facts. Fun facts can be a great way to entertain relatives. Ask them to contribute humorous or interesting facts. Then, they will be excited to see what others had to share, too.
• Be creative with sections. Family newsletters can have a tone much less serious than professional or local newsletters. Get creative. Include questionnaires with funny questions. Add an area where family members can write about their fails of the year so that everyone can commiserate. A comic strip can be a great addition if you have artists in the family.
• Include games. Games are a great way to engage everyone. Family trivia is an easy addition to any newsletter. There are also plenty of online tools to help you make crossword puzzles and word searches. Use one of them to create a family-centric game for everyone to enjoy.

Your relatives will be sure to devour your newsletter if you add these engaging aspects.